Fundraiser for local cancer fighter planned

Thursday

A benefit is being held later this month to aid with Robin Burks Spense's battle with cancer.

The event will take place on August 25 at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall in DeRidder.

Throughout the day, attendees will be able to participate in a silent auction, beginning at 9 a.m., and will be treated to performances of gospel music from local churches.

BBQ dinners with grilled chicken, baked beans, potato salad and desserts will be sold for $10.

American Idol contestant and Livingston native, Laine Hardy will be performing at 5 p.m.

If you can’t make it to the benefit, BBQ dinners will also be available for purchase on August 24 at the pavilion in Rosepine.

Spense has been working in the medical field of the surrounding communities for years. Her career in the medical field inspired her to start teaching.

She and her sister Ronise Steech opened Rosepine Medical Training LLC.

"Robin has worked for three doctors in Leesville and has been a phlebotomist for 12 years," Steech said. "The doctors encouraged her to teach. She was the one that if they had trouble with a patient, they called Robin. Robin and I teamed up and created a school in Rosepine.

Robin is an amazing woman. Our main goal (of the school) is to help people that can’t afford to go to college."

Spense was diagnosed with breast cancer in September and elected to go forward with alternative treatments in Tijuana, Mexico.

"She wanted to do as much as she could naturally," Steech said. "She changed her diet. She found a hospital in Tijuana that she really wanted to go to. We worked it out, and we were able to get a loan for her to go.

“She is now at home and will be there for three months until she needs to go back."

With one round of treatment done, Spense will need to return to Tijuana for more rounds of medicine.

"The doctors there told her that her body responded very well to the medication," Steech said. "They basically told her that she was a miracle.

"The treatment in Tijuana was smaller doses of chemo. From what I understand, it goes directly to where the cancer is; it's not through the entire body."

For any questions or if you want to donate items to the silent auction, contact Steech at 337-396-9724.